Lutefisk

This is a recipe that isn't written down.  I don't have my grandmother's handwritten notes on how to make lutefisk.  Instead, I have year's of memories telling me how she perfected this family tradition.  I can picture my grandma sitting in front of the stove with this look on her face.  A look of joy but it was almost like she was keeping a secret and couldn't wait to share it with everyone.  The only thing is I don't think she was aware of the fact that we all knew exactly what she was doing and not everyone appreciated the smell that was coming from that pot she was stirring.  Not everyone likes this tradition but it's a tradition none the less.  I am the minority in my family.  I love lutefisk.  I truly believe that everyone would if they would only give it a chance.  If you heard people describe the taste of lutefisk it would probably have more to do with the texture of the fish than anything else.  It is a slimy fish with a jelly like consistency but not the way my grandma makes it.  

This is our Christmas tradition...

Normally she'd cook the fish in the plastic bag it came in but this year my mom and I bought it "fresh" from the seafood counter at the Cashwise in Willmar, MN.  So, we used a roasting bag.

  

Fill a medium sized sauce pan 3/4 full of water and bring to a rolling boil.  Place your roasting bag (with the fish inside) in the boiling water.  Make sure the fish is submerged in the water.  Cooking time will be between 15-20 min.  You will notice the consistency of the fish change it will become flakey(as flakey as lutefisk gets) and starts to break apart.  It will also become less clear and more white.

The next step is making the white sauce.  

Melt 2T of butter with 2T of flour over medium heat.  

Let it cook for a minute or 2.

Add a 1 and 1/2 cups of milk and let it thicken (you may need to add some more flour if it doesn't thicken enough).   

Once it thickens up add the cooked fish.  

Season with salt and pepper.

Somehow I forgot to take a picture of the final product.  I guess I was just so excited to eat it I forgot.  So, you'll just have to imagine it.  It is served over mashed potatoes and tastes amazing!

Since there's always leftovers (go figure) you have to eat it the next day and the only way to eat leftover lutefisk is in a burrito.  Not just any burrito.  A lefse mashed potato burrito.  For those of you who don't know Lefse is a thin swedish tortilla made out of potatoes.  It looks like this...

It is a favorite of my mom and I.  :)